Busan, South Korea for The Calmness of Beomeosa Temple

If you are only staying a short while in Korea and are not sure which temple to visit out of many (seriously, there are so so many temples here), make Beomeosa the one sacred site to see. One of the three most important temples of the southeast region and probably among the top ten in the country, the amazing atmosphere of Beomeosa begins long before you reach the actual temple site. Since it’s locate on the mountain of Geumjongsan, the temple is tucked away from the drab landscape of city’s grey highrises. And even though a very popular tourist spot, the temple and the paths to it are so big, that we rarely encountered anyone on our way over there, so we could enjoy the serene surroundings in quiet. Once we were getting closer to the temple, we saw small waterfalls and slopes, making the place look like a secluded slice of zen paradise. The actual buildings were breathtaking as well, with a special emphasis on the glorious statues surrounding the hermitages. There were also interesting murals of monks in various martial art poses, which we later learned Beomeosa was famous for during the Japanese occupation. We went back home down a different path that led us down the road lined with hazelnut trees. It was a perfect way to spend an autumnal Saturday.